Reflections on My First Yoga Classes

I hope you all had a great St. Patrick’s Day yesterday! I was incredibly thankful that most of Boston’s revelry occurred at the South Boston Parade on Saturday (apparently) – the subways and trains were gloriously free of rowdy barhoppers. 🙂

But FINALLY, I’m getting around to giving some reflections on my first few yoga classes, as promised!

First off, my mom and I are taking this class through our town’s community center (we had originally signed up for a crochet class but it was canceled due to lack of interest, so this was plan B.). So, we’re actually taking this class in a little school, not a classy yoga studio. I don’t really mind the simple setting though! The heaters in the building work a little too well, so it’s ended up being like a mild version of hot yoga! Which I’m totally ok with, given that it’s still pretty dang cold for three days till spring.

The class was described as mixed level, perfect for me and my mom. My mom has been doing yoga for years, but I’ve only done a video here and there, so I’m definitely a newbie. The instructor handles the various experience levels wonderfully. So far, she’s done a great job explaining the poses and different variations you can do based on your flexibility. I also love the emphasis she puts on doing what feels right for your body. I know I can get competitive (especially with running), and I’ve really appreciated the way she reminds us that, “There’s no room for competition in yoga.”

So how have I felt after the classes? Pretty darn good. I know I have tight hips (that was one of the things the physical therapist pointed out when I was dealing with my EHL strain), and all the hip-opening exercises have been GREAT. I’m also happy to see that all my upper-body and core work has paid off – I have no problem with all the downward dog and plank poses! 🙂 And then, there’s the whole relaxation side of things. I love taking the hour and 15 minutes to unwind and focus on my breath. Usually, my mind is going a mile a minute, and it feels awesome to slow down. Also, fun fact here – I heard that Lily James practiced yoga and meditation to help her get into the kind and peaceful frame of mind that she portrays in Cinderella (which I totally want to see by the way.)

So those are my thoughts after the first 2 classes. I’ll continue to update as the weeks go on, but so far, it’s looking like I’m going to enjoy yoga. 🙂

Have a great week!

Have you ever tried yoga? Do you need to work on your flexibility? Anyone else want to see Cinderella (even though you’re technically an adult?)

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5 thoughts on “Reflections on My First Yoga Classes”

I agree with you on the peaceful side of yoga. While I find it physically challenging, I think it is an absolute necessity to keep my mind positive when my running gets tough. I DON’T KNOW HOW YOU ARE DOING YOGA IN EVEN A MILDLY HOT ROOM, THOUGH! Hot yoga terrifies me 🙂